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Caps Edge Pens In Shootout, But Three-Point Affair Benefits Both Clubs
Washington, DC (Sports Network) - Mike Knuble netted the decisive goal in the fourth round of the shootout, as the Washington Capitals edged the Pittsburgh Penguins, 4-3, at Verizon Center.
The first two participants for Pittsburgh in the shootout -- Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby -- beat Washington goaltender Jose Theodore, who turned away Bill Guerin before Alexander Semin lifted a backhander over the Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury to extend the extra segment.
After Theodore denied Chris Kunitz, Knuble beat Fleury over the shoulder.
Semin and Eric Fehr scored two minutes apart in the third period to erase a 2-1 deficit for Washington, which matched the franchise record for points in a season with 108, set last year.
Theodore, who finished with 39 saves, improved to 17-0-2 since January 13.
The Capitals are closing in on the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a 17-point lead over Pittsburgh. The Southeast Division champs are also nine points ahead of Chicago in the race for the Presidents' Trophy.
Jordan Staal tied the game for Pittsburgh with 3:06 left in regulation, gathering a pass from Kunitz and picking the top left corner of the net.
Guerin and Maxime Talbot had the other goals for the Penguins, who are 2-3-3 over their last eight games after coming out of the Olympic break with four straight wins.
Despite the shootout loss, the point earned allows Pittsburgh to move ahead of New Jersey for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Devils had pulled into a tie with their win on Tuesday.
Fleury stopped 29 shots.
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